Saugus welcomes Summer Sundays Benefit Concerts to the Kowloon

This series gives a nod to the season and a play on the day of the week and the type of weather, they hope for. It is called “Summer Sun * Days”. Here’s dreaming that this year’s weather matches both the spirit of the title and the desire for people to get out and enjoy it.

Kowloon has partnered with Rockin’ 4 Vets, in putting on these shows, over the last 3 years and it has been not only a successful venture for both parties, but also for local organizations who assist Vets with issues relate to their time in the service. Local organizations such as the Saugus Veterans Council, Boston Wounded Vets Run and regional ones such as Liberty House, Homeland Heroes Foundation, Hidden Battles and Guitars 4 Vets.

The entire concept was built off a single show to be done at the Kowloon, to help raise funds for a trip to bring a dozen Vets to Washington, DC to see the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, more commonly known as “The Vietnam Wall”. The legendary John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band came in and tore the place up. It was a great time, and helped the beneficiary meet their goal, leading to a very successful trip to D.C. for some very worthy Vets.

During the show, Jim Tirabassi, Founder and Director of R4V, had a conversation with someone who brought up an issue of a local Vet lacking proper housing, due to bizarre circumstances. Bothered greatly, he talked to Kowloon Manager Bobby Wong about the possibility of doing some more shows to do what they could to help with these type problems. The consensus was if something could be put together within a short window of time, to help; do it!

The series of three shows was set up featuring renown New England based performers, starting with Barry Goudreau’s Engine Room, followed by the James Montgomery Band’s 50th Anniversary celebration with Barrence Whitfield and the series was closed out by Jon Butcher with special guest Sal Baglio. With a hunger for quality entertainment, a great location and a worthy cause, the series named “Concerts for a Cause” was very successful and raised a substantial amount of money to assist some of the regional groups dealing with homelessness in the Vets population in the surrounding areas.

2022, was the reach for a larger number of shows, but nature turned her nose up on us, creating conditions that made several shows very difficult to do. There was a day in June where the temperature was in the high 30’s and the next week the temperature on the stage the morning of the show was 105. Some cancellations were forced upon us due to such conditions. We also had a specific show, we postponed two times due to reports of severe thunderstorms, which did not materialize either time, but once again nature had its way, the date we finally got the show set for, was scheduled to be a beautiful sunny one, but not to be discounted three hours prior to the show the skies opened to a torrential continuous downpour.

But as in epic fables, good triumphed over evil and we were able to make contributions to several organizations.

This year, the decision was made to go back to a simple formula, Boston’s best of the classic rock and blues performers over the last several decades. So tried and true favorites will be coming back to the stage, some a little different, to present something unique for this summer series.

On Jul 16, Barry Goudreau’s Engine Room will kick off the series, prior to their run of opening shows for the Hollywood Vampires. The band features a stellar line-up with longtime bandmates, keyboardist, and songwriter Brian Maes, along with bassist Tim Archibald and drummer Tony DePietro. Also joining the band are a power-house group of vocalists in Mary Beth Maes, Terri O’Soro and Joaine Cicatelli.

Maes and Archibald have worked together extensively over the years, both in Peter Wolf's band and with Goudreau in Orion the Hunter, RTZ, Ernie & the Automatics and now Engine Room.

There is nothing more to say about Barry Goudreau (former guitarist for arena rockers Boston) regarding this band. His guitar sound was largely responsible for the sales of over 40,000,000 copies of the band’s first two records. When the first note of any of these songs comes on you know the songs, they are so distinctive to a generation. After all, who can forget the soaring riffs on songs such as ‘Long Time’, ‘Don’t Look Back’ and ‘Rock & Roll Band’.

Johnny A. will be coming up next, on August 30, with the Johnny A. Trio performing some of his favorites including songs by The Beatles, originals, and classic rock. Johnny, a fan of the British Invasion bands, spent several years as the lead guitarists for one of the bands with the coolest legacy of any. He was with The Yardbirds, the stomping grounds of such well known guitarists as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page.

On August 6, Jon Butcher will be performing with special guest Sal Baglio. To people in the Boston area, and especially those on the North Shore, Butcher is legend. A career spanning 40+ years, as one of the area’s greatest “guitar heroes” and Baglio is known for his long run with The Stompers, definitely one of the summer-fun bands in the Northeast.

James Montgomery will be venturing back North of Boston for a show, as the James Montgomery Rhythm & Blues Revue with Christine Ohlman and Barrence Whitfield. On August 13, Montgomery, a musician who came to Boston to get an education 50+ years ago but stayed for the music will be expanding on the JMB format for this show, bringing together Ohlman, long time featured vocalist on Saturday Night Live and Whitfield, a great soulful singer, recently back from a month-long tour of Europe. Ohlman and Whitfield, last performed together, on the Northshore as the final show of a great music room, 9 Wallis, in downtown Beverly. For those who ventured out that March night in 2020, just as everything was closing; they saw an unbelievable show. Throw in Montgomery and the level of excitement increases exponentially.

Finally, wrapping up the summer series on August 20 will be Dyer, Goodwin, Chakour. Featuring some of the absolute greatest sidemen in the country. Deric Dyer, Cliff Goodwin, Mitch Chakour, Marty Richards, and Wolf Ginandes all current or former members of bands such as the Joe Perry Project, Mohegan Sun All-Stars, J. Geils, Joe Cocker and Tina Turner. Deric shines very bright fresh from his appearance as a featured performer on the recent Macy’s NBC 4th of July Celebration with a segment to the late Ms. Turner, where Dyer played a prominent role in a position he appeared in during her “Break Every Rule World Tour” performing 218 shows in front of 6,000,000 people. The band will be joined by a great New England blues vocalist Brian Templeton.

Not to be forgotten, and the main reason we do these shows are the Veterans organizations we help recognize and support through the sales of the tickets you buy. For 2023 the organizations that will be benefitting from these shows, and will be present at them, for any Vets seeking or knowing of anyone seeking assistance, will be Hidden Battles, Massachusetts Military Support Foundation, Veterans Northeast Outreach Center, Boston Rescue Mission, and 22 Mohawks.

For more info about these shows you can go to www.facebook.com/Rockin4Vets or email jim@alivenkickingprod.com